Areas of Practice
Learn about the legal services we offer.
Commercial and Business Transactions
Our firm has represented principals in hundreds of business sales, mergers and acquisitions. We have represented both Sellers and Buyers. We advise clients throughout the process of buying or selling a business, from the original letter of intent and the due diligence process through the closing, and routinely draft stock and asset purchase agreements, merger or reorganization agreements, non-competition agreements, employment agreements, lease agreements and other related documents. Our firm’s knowledge of the tax issues involved in these transactions allows us to structure business sales, mergers and acquisitions in such a way as to provide our clients with the optimal results.
There are a number of entity types within which to conduct a business. We offer comprehensive tax advice and detailed insight regarding the formation of regular C-corporations, S-corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies (L.L.C.) and other business entities, including 501(c) Non-Profit entities. We prepare all the necessary documents to get your new business up and running and provide you with maximum protection against personal liability. We are available to service the ongoing legal needs of your business as well.
We service the ongoing needs of all types of business entities. We have represented clients in joint ventures and business contracts in Argentina, Ecuador, Venezuela, Poland, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Yemen, Kazakhstan, Turkey, China, Singapore, and the British Virgin Islands. We also provide services in the preparation of employment contracts, buy-sell agreements, distribution agreements, customer contracts and intellectual property licensing agreements, as well as the preparation and revision of master service agreements. Additionally, our firm has assisted clients in obtaining trademark and service mark registrations with the United States Patent and Trademark Office as well as individual states. We also provide tax planning on a range of issues.
We use a large network of contacts in order to obtain corporate financing for start-ups, business growth and other needs. We assist clients in obtaining financing at all levels, from accounts receivable to non-recourse mezzanine financing, at the best available market rates.
Our clients enjoy the accessibility and personal attention that our small, specialty Lafayette law firm provides in the delivery of comprehensive tax and legal services in the negotiation, structuring and closing of mergers and acquisitions for those who are buy-side clients, and business sales of either the entity or its assets for the sell-side clients. We also work with LLCs and corporations from the business formation stage through their growth stages on matters such as corporate governance, customer contracts, facility leases and shareholder agreements and a host of other legal and financial issues that confront today’s small businesses.
See our past transactions
Estate Planning
Comprehensive estate planning is provided through the use of gifts, donations, wills, trusts and family owned businesses. We work closely with clients in order to determine and reach short-term and long-term goals, such as:
- Insure the intended distribution of all assets
- Minimize all taxes
- Minimize delays and administrative costs
- Provide for the ongoing needs of a surviving spouse
- Preserve wealth for children and grandchildren
- Provide for the educational needs of descendants
- Insure the availability of liquid assets for any estate taxes owed
- Make effective use of the spousal and charitable deductions
- Insure the intended distribution of all assets
- Minimize all taxes
- Minimize delays and administrative costs
- Provide for the ongoing needs of a surviving spouse
- Preserve wealth for children and grandchildren
- Provide for the educational needs of descendants
- Insure the availability of liquid assets for any estate taxes owed
- Make effective use of the spousal and charitable deductions
We work closely with succession administrators and executors to provide for an easy transition of ownership from the decedent to his or her heirs or legatees. We provide detailed guidance on the process from probate of a will through distribution and all steps in between. We assist the succession representative in obtaining accurate valuation of succession assets and limiting exposure to taxes wherever possible. We are also experienced in the Tutorship process for those instances in which a decedent leaves minor children.
In times where an easy transition of ownership is impossible due to conflict over a Will or Testament, we have successfully represented both succession representatives and will challengers and have secured life-changing inheritances for our clients.
In times where an easy transition of ownership is impossible due to conflict over a Will or Testament, we have successfully represented both succession representatives and will challengers and have secured life-changing inheritances for our clients.
Louisiana’s default matrimonial regime is the legal regime of community of acquets and gains – or, as it is more commonly known, a community property regime. In other words, if there is no marriage contract, you are governed by the community property rules. The community property regime can present a number of unintended and unexpected consequences for spouses. In order for a couple to avoid being governed by the community property regime, they must enter into contractual regime, commonly known as a pre-marital agreement of prenuptial agreement. We work closely with our clients to determine whether a separate property matrimonial regime would be best suited to protect the economic circumstances of a couple, while also better reflecting the couple’s overall expectations regarding the relationship. Whether a client is planning for marriage or is already married, we can offer a collaborative approach to separating debts as well as assets by assisting clients in entering into a contractual marital regime that modifies or entirely opts out of the community property regime.
Our firm has assisted clients in tax planning for mergers and acquisitions, corporate financing transactions, and in protecting personal wealth. We have also represented clients in state and local tax disputes, concerning sales and use taxes, as well as IRS “responsible party” assessments for payroll taxes. We also provide corporate partnership and individual tax planning.
With respect to our individual clients, we provide efficient, affordable estate planning services through the preparation and execution of wills, trusts, durable powers of attorney and marriage contracts as well as gift planning and execution for those receiving donations, and the opening and closing of successions and estate administration for those receiving inheritances. Our wills are designed to save time and money during the succession and inheritance process. Our trusts provide protection for the beneficiaries from creditors as well as themselves.
